How Your Body Uses Molecular Hydrogen from Hydrogen-Rich Water
What’s the Buzz About Hydrogen-Rich Water?
Imagine a special kind of water that has extra hydrogen gas dissolved in it—this is called hydrogen-rich water. Scientists have been studying whether drinking it helps reduce oxidative stress, which is a type of damage caused by harmful molecules called reactive oxygen species, or ROS for short. These ROS can harm your brain, heart, and other parts of the body.
The Study at a Glance
Researchers led by Shimouchi and colleagues wanted to figure out what happens to the hydrogen you drink. Do you breathe it out? Do you sweat it out? Or does your body actually use it?
What They Did
- Seven healthy adults drank hydrogen-rich water.
- Scientists measured how much hydrogen came out when they exhaled—using a device that detects tiny amounts of gas.
What They Found
- Within 10 minutes of drinking, hydrogen in their breath peaked at about 36 parts per million (ppm).
- Over the next hour, it dropped back to normal.
- Counting the amount exhaled, about 59% of the hydrogen was breathed out.
- At most 3% was lost during the experiment itself.
- Only about 0.1% was lost through the skin.
Bottom line? Around 40% of the hydrogen you drink is actually taken up and used by your body.
What Happens to the Hydrogen Your Body Uses?
Hydrogen doesn’t do much by itself—but it can neutralize one of the most dangerous ROS called the hydroxyl radical. This ability makes it a weak scavenger that helps reduce oxidative damage—but not against all ROS, like hydrogen peroxide or superoxide.
Based on the amount of hydrogen used, scientists estimated that hydroxyl radicals are being produced in your body at a rate of at least 1.0 µmol per minute per square meter of body surface (about 29 nmol per minute per kilogram). That’s how fast your body generates those harmful radicals—something hydrogen may help manage.
Why This Matters—And What It Means for You
- Your body actually uses some of that hydrogen—not just pees it or breathes it out.
- It may help to neutralize harmful molecules and reduce oxidative stress.
- You don’t need futuristic machines—just hydrogen-rich water may have potential benefits.
Final Thoughts
So next time you see “hydrogen-rich water” on a label, you’ll know: it’s not just a fancy drink. About 40% of that hydrogen makes its way into your body where it may help fight off harmful molecules. The rest? Mostly exhaled—and just a tiny bit lost through your skin or during handling.
This could open the door to new ways of staying healthy using simple hydration with hydrogen-packed water—but more research is still needed before we can say for sure.
Learn more about how it reacts to your body’s cells positively